The season of liquid refreshment is upon us, so let Ben McFarland and Tom
Sandham guide you through the maze of Christmas booze. December 7: No
Age Statement whisky

An increasingly popular trend in single malt whisky is to launch an expression without an age on the bottle – a no age statement whisky (NAS). If you’re keen to try something new this Christmas, but are loyal to a particular distillery, these whiskies might offer you an interesting change of pace.

While it’s true that certain aged whiskies are worthy of an inflated price tag, age alone isn’t a guarantee of quality. But perhaps more importantly from the distillery perspective, is that producers face an ongoing challenge to keep up with demand, there’s only so much of the 18 year old to go around after all. So by taking the emphasis away from age they’re free to use more of the whisky in the barrel houses.

The whiskies in each of these products will range in age and by not falling hostage to an age statement of 10 years or higher, the whisky producer can use younger whiskies as well as old by blending the single malt. To be clear, all whisky must be aged three years by law and it’s the same whisky, but from different barrels.

The result is often a rounded spirit, retaining the characteristics that make the distillery popular.

We've selected three worthy candidates:

Glenrothes Select Reserve

A pioneer in NAS whisky, this is a non-vintage whisky from the Glenrothes stable and is a perfect example of how playing with the various barrels and whiskies available can deliver a balanced, complex spirit. Warm, spicy fruits with a touch of vanilla and citrus it’s tasty and a useful whisky for beginners.

A huge cask-strength whisky that has been rested in ex-sherry Olorosso butts. The impact of the wood on the colour, aroma and flavours here is distinct, the sherry barrels impart warm spice with raisins and prune on the palate. It’s a heavyweight in the alcohol stakes, big, bolshy and will punch unsuspecting drinkers in the face. But in a good way.

Talisker fans are a loyal bunch and this expression pays homage to the qualities of the revered Skye single malt. A rich, spicy whisky with the touch of pepper heat that Talisker is respected for, it also chases through the chops with smooth and slightly smoky finish to keep everyone happy. Ticks all the boxes for a whisky connoisseur, and them’s some fairly demanding boxes, so hats off to Talisker.